Rehab Doll
by illegalsweaters
Summary: After years of normalcy and at the cusp of true happiness, Ty Lee has no idea what to do when the monster under her bed shows up on her doorstep. [TyZula Month 2016 / TyZula Week 2017]
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One: Fancy  
**_

* * *

There was no denying that Ty Lee too often saw her importance only in the eyes of others.

Being the fancy of a princess made her feel like she was worth more than diamonds.

Being the fancy of a soldier was almost as incredible and indulgent.

Being the fancy of a hero also elevated her sense of self sky high.

But once she had all of that and more, it was the very ordinary girl she met in her favorite teashop was the most thrilling affair of her life. When that waitress looked at her with a small smile that he couldn't suppress, she felt her heart flutter in a way that no one had in a long time.

The moment that waitress asked her to go on a date, she had never felt happier. Not when that princess finally expressed interest, not when that soldier asked her to dance, not when that hero asked her to marry him.

She was raised on dreams and so reality felt like fantasy.

"You're so good at that!" Jin said and she knew he meant it because of the stupid grin on his face.

They were in Ty Lee's house, and Ty Lee was upside down against the wall. Her girlfriend was amazed, which was a response Ty Lee had not gotten in what felt like millennia.

"Yeah. I mean, thank you," Ty Lee replied, and she tried not to notice that her past affairs were as talented as she was, and she hated it. "Thank you. You could try standing on your head."

"I'd break my neck and die," she said, laughing.

"When I started, I just thought that if I had to die, I would rather die having fun," Ty Lee explained earnestly, sitting down right-side-up again.

"That's a good way of looking at it," Jin sweetly said, "but I'm still way too scared. So, what do you do?"

"Oh, I set down my hands and then—"

Jin giggled. "No, oh, I mean a job."

Ty Lee blushed. Why did she always botch things like this?

"Ohhh, well," Ty Lee said, "right now I'm just drifting. I've never really had a normal career and my skill set is pretty specific, so, I took my inheritance from my parents and bought a house here. Ba Sing Se has everything."

"I want to know your weird careers." Jin's eyes lit up.

Ty Lee was pretty used to this story, so she began it as she always did.

"Well, first I joined the circus—"

"Why?"

"They came to town and I thought it was the best thing I ever saw, and when they left, I went with them." Ty Lee could still remember the lights, and how they dazzled her more than anything else. It was a pleasant memory.

"That's sweet," Jin said with a half-smile.

"Right, then I was an elite soldier," Ty Lee said, and her breath caught for a moment. She was not explaining that job, no matter what happened. It was a chapter in her life that she was sure could wait at least five years to discuss with a girl from Ba Sing Se.

Jin laughed. "Very normal jump."

"Then I was a Kyoshi Warrior," Ty Lee said, relieved, "and then I moved home to help my mom while she was sick and I tried to work at a boutique but it _sucked_ so I ran away from home again after she died and I ended up here. I mostly just sit in Iroh's teashop all day. I get all my drinks for free."

"You know him?"

"Oh, yeah. He's so funny." Ty Lee smiled until she realized she would have to admit her background. Hopefully Iroh would understand what parts of her past to conceal.

"I kind of figured you did," Jin said, shrugging. "He told me to stop blushing and just ask you out."

"Aww," Ty Lee crooned.

"He's made me date five people since I've known him," Jin said.

"I guess those didn't end well."

"They were fun while they lasted." Jin cringed when she realized what she was saying. "I make our relationship sound doomed. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm not lucky in love either," Ty Lee said.

"Isn't everybody?"

Until they find the one person they are lucky to have.

* * *

Ty Lee knew what was coming when her girlfriend of six months asked her out to a fancy restaurant. And she was so _excited_. The last guy who proposed to her struck out, but she thought this girl was right for her. No, she _knew_ this girl was right for her.

She had been to nicer places, despite how ornate this restaurant was, but she didn't care.

Because she knew this night would be perfect, no matter where she was.

Jin lit up rooms, but not in the way Ty Lee did. Ty Lee attracted the eyes of everyone, but Jin just seemed _genuinely_ happy. Not Ty Lee perpetually concealing any real feelings happy, but _happy_. That was enough to make anywhere seem brighter.

Ty Lee's past lovers also drew attention.

Jin drew Ty Lee's attention alone, and that was the best feeling in the whole world.

"Hi. Sorry I'm late." Jin was already nervous.

Ty Lee could not hide her excitement.

* * *

Two hours later, Ty Lee was trembling and about to _burst_ as leapt over a fence in order to get to Iroh's side door. She had to take deep breaths to calm down, and then she viciously pounded on it. The minute it opened she held up her hand and screamed, "I'm engaged!"

"To who?" asked someone who was definitely not Iroh.

Ty Lee very slowly lowered her hand. She made an expression not unlike her mom's cat when she put spicy soup in front of its nose. Tonight was perfect until this moment. The past six months were perfect until this moment.

All Ty Lee could do was whisper, "I'm going to come back in the morning."

But she was frozen in place.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two: Convict  
**_

* * *

Ty Lee stood on a doorstep across from a blast from her past. She was surprised she didn't throw up; her stomach felt like it had been shaken around for an hour. The moment she saw Azula's face instead of Iroh's was one of the most terrifying moments of her life. All of those moments involved Azula, come to think of it.

She now was concealing her engagement ring with one hand. It was Fire Nation, but Jin did not know very much about Ty Lee's past. She did not know about Azula, and everything unsavory that came with it.

"My uncle is here, if you want to tell him your big news," Azula said, and it could not possibly be more condescending. "I am so very happy for you."

Ty Lee glared.

"She is a wonderful, loving, humble, friendly, average person," Ty Lee said, now hiding her hand in her pocket. She did not know how her pride turned into shame so quickly.

"She sounds terrible for you," Azula coolly replied.

Ty Lee glared harder. Then she collected herself and remembered how to be an adult.

"Our problems are in the past, and we're both over it, and I'm going to go talk to Iroh now."

They stood there. Neither moved for an agonizing moment before jumping into action simultaneously. Azula opened the door and Ty Lee bolted up the narrow staircase.

"Iroh! Iroh! I'm engaged!" Ty Lee shrieked, now displaying the ring as she should.

He looked up and smiled at her, his eyes alight.

"This is perfect. I have been hoping and hoping that Jin could find love. She deserves it."

"What about me?" Ty Lee inquired.

Iroh's eyes flashed. "You also deserve it, of course."

"Tell me about this girl," ordered Azula from the shadows of the doorway.

Ty Lee took in a deep breath and pretended that Azula was like any of her other exes.

"She's wonderful. Her name is Jin and she works for Iroh, and she's really fun. We do fun stuff! And she has a really funny family and tells such good stories!"

"How charming," Azula purred. "Did you tell her the one about how you enslaved her family and laughed while doing it?"

Ty Lee did not know how to answer. She had avoided telling Jin about her conquering-days, especially when she learned that Jin's brother was killed during the occupation. The occupation that Ty Lee did kind of sort of in a roundabout way cause.

"Yes," Ty Lee lied, but Azula clearly did not believe it. "No. It never came up."

"So, you would be very comfortable discussing your adolescence with your new fiancée?" Azula asked, and Ty Lee knew that look on her face. It was the thrill before the kill.

"I talked a lot about the circus," Ty Lee said. Her face was quite hot.

"Mhm. That was, what, two years?" Azula glanced at Iroh, and then back at her ex. "Did you tell her how you met my uncle?"

"I said he was a friend of a friend, which is not a lie! He's friends with a lot of my friends!" Ty Lee was not flustered by Azula, but by the thoughts of how difficult it would be to maintain a beautiful marriage with the love of her life when Ty Lee's old friends could drop in at any time and detonate it.

"I'm so disappointed in you," Azula mockingly said. "You can't base a relationship on lies."

"Yes. I can, and I _will_." Ty Lee spoke more to herself than to her ex-girlfriend.

Iroh cleared his throat. "I am certain that Jin would be accepting of you no matter what."

Azula ignored him. "Who of her loved ones did you kill?"

"None. That was you. You killed her brother!" Ty Lee pointed at Azula to keep from pointing at herself.

"Her brother, then." Azula stepped into the light. She was _scarier_ lit up than obscured. How was that possible?

"Why are you even here?" Ty Lee snapped shrilly. "You can't be allowed in this city. You're a convicted war criminal."

"No, I am an alleged war criminal. Such a difference. There is nothing wrong with conquering a few cities before you settle down and conquering Ba Sing Se was a natural act of war. The allegations were mostly for torture and…" Azula paused, briefly lost in thought. "And things."

"Conquering Ba Sing Se was awful," Ty Lee whispered.

Azula gestured vaguely around the living area. "Everyone in this room has tried to conquer Ba Sing Se, so perhaps we should just drop the subject."

"Yes. We should. And keep it dropped when Jin is around." Ty Lee gave Azula a look that would melt a lesser being.

"I look forward to watching you destroy your happily ever after by keeping that secret," Azula said sweetly, as if it were a cute congratulation.

Iroh stepped between the duo. This had to end before they could burst into a fight and destroy his home.

"Why don't we have tea?" he suggested.

Neither woman protested.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three: Tyrant**_

* * *

Ty Lee could not sleep for the life of her.

Of her past loves, Azula was the most complicated and predominant. Ty Lee went crawling back to her one too many times before she saw she would be happier without her. Azula was a tyrant who needed perpetual control, and Ty Lee felt she could see the human inside of the monster. Maybe she could, but that did not change the fact that Azula was a conqueror to the core.

She stood up on her own two feet and ran, ran, ran away from that relationship.

Ty Lee woke up to someone knocking on her window. The first thing she remembered was doing that to Azula, perched on the black stone of the royal palace. That was new. Ty Lee sighed and got up to see her new fiancée.

It brought a warm smile to Ty Lee's lips. She was excited to see Jin, especially after the nightmare at the Jasmine Dragon.

"I'm so glad you're here; I just couldn't sleep," Ty Lee said, hugging and kissing her perfect fiancée. This woman was unafraid of equality. She wasn't raised to believe she was a deity. Ty Lee knew she found the right person, even if a more thrilling person was in this city.

Yeah. Ty Lee still felt those butterflies. She still thought about Azula's lips, but when she kissed Jin felt this radiance inside of her, like she had swallowed the sun. The latter was so much better than the former.

"What's wrong? You seem upset," Jin said and Ty Lee struggled inside of her mind.

She did not know if she should tell the truth or not.

"An old girlfriend kind of showed up out of nowhere. She's staying at the Jasmine Dragon," Ty Lee said and Jin made a strange face. "It was just awkward. Nothing other than that. I'm totally, I have no feelings for her. She was a tyrant and, I mean, not worth my time."

Something growled and rumbled in Ty Lee, but she ignored it.

She kept her eyes fixated on the woman in front of her.

"I can beat her up for you," Jin joked and Ty Lee laughed.

"Maybe I can sleep with you next to me!" Ty Lee suggested, feeling a rush of excitement.

Jin kissed her and happily obliged.

Ty Lee found it even harder to sleep while in Jin's arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four: Elite_**

* * *

"This is going to be the single worst mistake of my life," Ty Lee whispered to herself.

It was. No doubt about that.

"She can't be that bad," Jin said.

"You have no idea," Ty Lee says, and then she stops in the middle of the street. A pedestrian curses under his breath, but both women ignore it. "Okay, I haven't really said enough about it and her, because you know that I've had some exes who are…"

"I met them. They're good people, and I don't mind it at all."

"Well, they are all nice people. She is not a nice person. She is a p… princess."

"Mhm."

"And she's really critical of people who aren't royalty or close to royalty," Ty Lee explained. It was the understatement of the century, but she hoped Azula would understand the situation. That hope was as feeble as her hope that they would last through thick and thin.

"Don't worry. I can take it," Jin said. Ty Lee did not know if she was right or not.

They arrived at the Jasmine Dragon before they could further discuss Azula.

Jin looked slightly _surprised_ by Azula, but there were not exactly many princesses in this world. Ty Lee figured she did not have to explain that Azula was the princess who tore apart Jin's family and Ty Lee really thought maybe she could wriggle out of the situation.

"Azula and I reunited after the war. I hadn't seen her in a really long time since I was in the circus," Ty Lee said as they walked up the stairs. Ty Lee's eyes were fixated on the silent and smirking princess. "We underwent some hardships that brought us together and then later we broke up because that kind of love wasn't… real, or… something like that. I don't really remember."

Jin's eyebrows shot up and Ty Lee did not know why.

"Iroh!" said Ty Lee's fiancée and their hug gave Ty Lee a sparse few moments with her ex.

Ty Lee turned to Azula. "I've backed you up in every lie you have _ever_ told. Please return the favor just once."

"I don't honestly _return_ favors," Azula said, but she sighed. "For you, I will pretend you have never been my accomplice."

"Thank you," Ty Lee gratefully whispered. Azula smirked at her.

Ty Lee had no idea what all of these expressions meant. Girls were super confusing. That was why Ty Lee switched to boys for a couple of years. Unfortunately, the one… _ones_ for her were female.

They sat down at the table and Iroh described the food he made for the dinner.

"That's so sweet. Thank you," Jin said and Azula looked slightly sick.

Ty Lee begged every spirit in the world to let this dinner work out.

"So, Jin, you are a waitress _here_?" Azula asked and Ty Lee shoved as much food into her mouth as would fit.

"Yes. It's a great job," Jin said, grinning.

"A waitress. That sounds more like a one night stand than a wife, but that's just my opinion. Ty Lee, don't you usually date people who are…" Azula paused. "Who are special or outstanding in some way. What is it about her that elevates your social status?"

Ty Lee swallowed and said, "She elevates my happiness status."

"That's not a thing," Azula retorted carelessly.

" _Yes_ it _is_ ," Ty Lee said loudly.

Iroh cleared his throat. Jin tried to smile.

"Why don't we talk about other things?" Iroh suggested.

Azula knew she had done enough, and playing along with Ty Lee would serve her well.

* * *

Jin stood outside of Ty Lee's house and did not come in. Ty Lee turned around.

No, no, no. This couldn't have been ruined.

"I know she's awful. Everybody does. I don't even think she's legally allowed in this city. I could probably get her kicked out."

"That's not you."

"I know," Ty Lee admitted, shrinking. "I like you because you're not some kind of deity. You're a person who I love, and you're normal. I always thought I wanted to be exceptional, but being normal is so much better."

"It's not what she said. Everybody has a weird romantic past. It's that you're kind of clearly still in love with her," Jin said.

"What?" Ty Lee screeched.

This was even worse than she thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter Five:_** _Hostage_

* * *

"Please. I don't love her. I don't even like her," Ty Lee swiftly stammered.

She shivered as she and Jin stood on her doorstep. This could not be happening. This could not be happening. This could not be happening.

"You obviously do. Ty Lee, I love you. I would still marry you. But I think you need to figure out how you feel about her first," Jin said. "I don't think you can fully love me until you fully stop loving her."

"I have! I have fully stopped loving her!" Ty Lee started to hyperventilate. "I swear to you! I really do! I mean it!"

Jin looked at her. The hurt in her eyes made Ty Lee want to scream and scream and never stop screaming.

"I'll be at my house. Please go talk to her if you… when you realize it. You need to tie that loose end before we can tie the knot," Jin said. She reached forward and held Ty Lee's hands for a fleeting moment.

She walked down the street before Ty Lee could steady herself on her feet again.

* * *

 ** _Chapter Six:_** _Impure_

* * *

Ty Lee thought she still had feelings for her ex. She realized it at the worst of times. How could she still have feelings for her worst ex?

When they were in love, Ty Lee was dependent. Ty Lee was _scared_ of leaving her or standing up to her or asking for anything she wanted. Yes, Azula was her first time, but that made Azula think she had even more power than she already had. Ty Lee had apparently taken something, even though it was a pretty one-sided affair.

Ty Lee was pretty sure she liked boys until she met Jin. She thought there were hot girls, but she thought men were the only ones for her. But her soldier boy was a bust, and Sokka was a nightmare. Jin was the only one for her.

But Ty Lee was staring in the mirror and thinking about how much she had given to Azula.

She could not stand on her own until after the war. Once she became her own person, she knew that Azula had just used her and abused her, but maybe it was more than that. It had to be more than that.

Ty Lee could not feel like this about someone she did not _want_. She did not _want_ Azula.

It was not pure love. It was mixed up with so many feelings and tangled circumstances. It was murky. Murky. So murky. She did not know where she was diving to.

She walked to the Jasmine Dragon, because she wanted Jin, but Jin ran away.

Was this a rebound thing? Was that it?

Ty Lee _hoped_ that was it.

She knocked on the door and waited until she heard movement behind it. Iroh opened the door.

"Oh, Ty Lee, what a pleasant surprise," he said with a reassuring smile.

"Can I talk to Azula?" Ty Lee inquired.

She felt her heart begin to race.

* * *

 ** _Chapter Seven:_** _Egocentric_

* * *

Ty Lee walked to the living room.

"Yes?" Azula asked, sighing.

"Can I talk to you?" Ty Lee asked. She walked to Azula and sat down near her. Looking at her made it easy to remember why she fell so hard. Maybe some brainwashing was involved too, or at least conditioning from a young age.

"What is it?" Azula asked, examining her nails. She did not even bother looking at Ty Lee.

Ty Lee could do better. Ty Lee _knew_ that she could do better.

But the moment Azula _did_ look at her, she crumbled.

"I'm worried that I still have some feelings for you," Ty Lee said.

Azula _cackled_ about it. Ty Lee nearly punched her.

"Of course you do. How could you not?" Azula smirked. "You will never get over me. Never. I will haunt you until the day you die."

Ty Lee opened her mouth to curse Azula out but could not find the words. They eluded her.

"Uh-huh," Ty Lee managed to articulate.

"But I _will_ give you a chance. Believe me," Azula purred. She set down her tea and looked Ty Lee up and down. "I think we could be together. I know it would make your dreams come true."

Ty Lee looked at Azula. She still… loved her. Ty Lee definitely still loved her.

But Ty Lee had grown too strong to let this happen.

"You're not my dream. You're my nightmare," Ty Lee whispered.

"Then why did you ask?" Azula inquires mockingly. Ty Lee grinded her teeth.

"I shouldn't have." Ty Lee did not stand up.

Azula leaned forward to kiss her.

Ty Lee froze before she came to her senses and pushed Azula away. She bolted from the tea shop; she needed to find Jin before it was too late.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter Eight:_** _Golden_

* * *

Azula was not happy about Ty Lee suddenly becoming so _bold_. It was _not_ attractive, yet it only made her want the woman more. She needed to get whatever she wanted, even if that thing resisted as much as the new, brave, daring Ty Lee did.

 _Ugh_ , thought Azula, _now I have to think about this._

It should have been much easier.

She knew her own words were very true, of course. Even if Ty Lee succeeded at running away from the inevitable, Azula would haunt her until the day she died and honestly that was quite satisfying.

Of course, Ty Lee would have never showed up at this door if she was not warring with those romantic feelings that she always had. Azula knew they never faded, even if Ty Lee would pretend otherwise in order to be with her very plain and very boring new girlfriend.

"What did Ty Lee have to say?"

"That she is still in love with me and always will be until the day she dies, or something else along those lines. Then she ran away to find her other girlfriend." Azula shrugged. "I almost pity the poor thing for being so in love with me, but no one can blame her. Who would not be?"

"Not be in love with you?" Iroh asked, looking concerned for some reason.

Azula did not understand this man. "Yes. Especially her. She has been into me since before I even knew people could be into each other. How sad is that?"

"Humility is golden," said Iroh and Azula rolled her eyes at the attempted wisdom.

"I have no idea how Zuko did not kill you every single day for three years," she casually said, waving to him and walking back into her pitifully small and ordinary room.

This whole city was a terrible place.

Yet, inside of it was the one person Azula could visualize herself in a relationship with. No one other than Ty Lee ever made sense to her.

She sat down on her bed as she thought through the many times she considered tracking down her old flame. Ty Lee probably had been with enough people to know that only one person could make her happy. Some prissy little boring unattractive Earth Kingdom girl was nothing compared to such a golden-blooded beauty.

Surely, Ty Lee had to have been with better people. Ones who might be _something_ near Azula's caliber. Maybe she lost all of her self-esteem somewhere along the way. It was the only explanation for why Ty Lee would give this _Jin_ a chance instead of instantly surrendering.

Azula lied down and stared up at the ceiling.

This would work out in her favor in due time. For now, Ty Lee could run around and act like Azula was her nightmare instead of her deepest, most almost-unattainable dream.

Jin would suffer.

Azula liked that image. Sweet people disgusted her. Then again, perhaps sweet was the best option for someone with Jin's looks.

She smirked to herself and shifted her thoughts to her own plan of attack.


End file.
